The Eating Out Scout: Ecco Pizzeria

Staying on the Italian theme this week Ella Healing tried out our local Headingley based Ecco Pizzeria…

For our last week in Leeds, my boyfriend and I needed to celebrate a little. I’d heard great things about Ecco Pizzeria from friends, and we were far from disappointed by our visit. If you’re looking for authenticity, then the pizzas and gelati at Ecco are the best you can find in the Leeds student area.

For those dining as a pair, Ecco offer the very economical option of the ‘half-metre’. For the half-metre pizza, you have the choice of having different toppings on each half, which works out much cheaper than buying a standard 12-inch pizza to yourself. I highly recommend the Athens topping, which replaces mozzarella with feta cheese, and is covered in black olives, spinach and tomatoes. The Marrakesh is also popular amongst my friends, which includes pomegranate seeds and minced lamb. Pomegranate seeds are pretty unconventional as far as pizza is concerned, but was actually surprisingly delicious!

Those with a sweet tooth will not want to pass up on Ecco’s selection of gelati either. Starting at £2 for a scoop and £3 for two (full cartons are also available for anybody wanting more for later), these ice creams provide yet another traditional taste of Italy. My personal favourite is the Bacio flavour, which is a creamy chocolate flavour with hazelnut chunks. My boyfriend enjoyed the more simple flavours of vanilla and strawberry, but the ice cream is so well made that even the simplest of flavours are far from boring.

Ecco Pizzeria are dedicated to the tradition of pizza making and ensuring that there is a high level of authenticity in their food. Displayed on their wall is a timeline of the history of pizza,w here the origins of staple toppings such as the Margherita and the Marinara are explained. It’s refreshing to find a restaurant that prides itself so much in the creation and quality of its food. This appreciation of culinary history and it’s cultural role is a wonderful finishing touch to an already great dining experience.

Ecco also deliver in the Leeds area, providing the perfect antidote to a typical rainy, British-summer evening. If this recent sunny weather continues however, you could take your Ecco pizza outside and be instantly transported to the Amalfi Coast (well, almost). Ecco Pizzeria makes a nice change from the standard, greasy takeaway options and is a great dining out option too. Whether it be to celebrate the end of an academic year, to commiserate on your results, or just to pig out and cast aside fear of the upcoming term, Ecco will never disappoint.